Combination garden implement



Dec. 17, 1940. E R L K 2,225,108

COMB INAT ION GARDEN IMPLEMENT Filed June 26, 1959 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 2 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a combination garden implement primarily intended for earth working, mulching and smoothing the surface of the earth for gardens, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a combination implement comprising on one side coarse operating elements such as rake teeth or cultivator hoes for first breaking the ground and on the other side fine operating implement or rake tines for breaking up the coarser clods of earth and together with a ground roller cooperating therewith reduce the earth to a powder or fine mulch which is rolled to a smooth surface during the operation and will conserve moisture.

A further object of the invention is to improve such earth working implements for manual operation and provide such a combination garden tool which will be inexpensive to manufacture and simple and efi'icient in its operation.

'le my garden implement is primarily intended for use in connection with earth working it is not intended that its use shall be limited thereto since employed as a rake it is efficient for both rough and fine raking and rolling for smoothing surfaces of lawns and the like.

Having set forth the nature of my invention, the structureof an embodiment which has proven highly. satisfactory will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing where- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the implement in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the reverse side in cooperation with the ground.

In the several views corresponding parts bear the same characters of reference and in general the handle is designated by the reference numeral H); this handle is broken away but it will be understood that it is any desired length to suit the individual, six feet having been found a convenient length for pulling the implement backwards and forward for manipulating the ground.

The lower end of handle l0 provides a mounting for the earth working elements I l and [2 each having a tang extending into the end of the handle l0 and a ferrule l3 secures them therein.

The working element ll comprises a coarse rake or hoe consisting of relatively long and widely spaced sharply pointed prongs I4 three being shown extending from the base and tang members thereof. These prongs will operate as hoes or cultivators to rip into and open the earth, preferable with greater facility when the ground is wet or moistened. These prongs are also useful for raking in eliminating refuse of a larger variety such as weeds and rubbish as well as for the primary purpose as set forth.

Working element l2 comprises a finer rake member with its teeth or prongs l5 extending from the body portion of this element, four teeth being shown extending between the prongs M of element l I and as shown these teeth are much shorter than prongs l4 and closer spaced. These teeth I5 are preferably sharp pointed and are adapted to break up any clods which there may be after using element H and ground has dried sufficiently.

In cooperation with these elements H and [2, more particularly the latter, is a roller l6 which as will be noted has a length substantially equal to the width of the prongs of element l I and substantially greater than the width of element l2. This roller is preferably metallic and is adapted to engage the ground after it has been broken up by the teeth l5 of element l2 so as to roll the loose earth and smooth it gently, packing it so as to conserve moisture in the ground and prevent rapid evaporation.

Roller is is mounted for swinging movement when desired and as shown may be journaled at IT between the ends of arms [8 which are bent to converge toward handle Ill and are pivotally connected at 19 to projection 20 from ferrule l3 which may be in the form of a clamp 2| surrounding and strengthening the ferrule.

The arms l8 which are pivotally connected at 19 to the projection 20 of clamp 2| are of sufiicient length to maintain the roller I6 in its cooperating position forward of the teeth l5, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The teeth I5 are slightly yieldable so that the roller l6 may be. swung toward the handle free from elements H and [2, if it is desired to use the element [2 and teeth l5 as a rake by itself. As will be apparent from Fig. 3, in the position forward of earth working elements l2, the roller l6 cooperates with those elements for smoothing or evening the ground. It will be seen that the position of roller IS with respect to the teeth of element l2 operates as a gauge as to the depth of penetration of the teeth l5 or the angle of handle may be varied as will be apparent to anyone using the implemenlt. While roller l6 has sufficient weight for functioning as described it is not too heavy for use on a hand tool and when the implement II is being used adds a desirable amount of weight thereto for cultivating purposes.

Positioning the elements H and I2 as shown mits freedom of operation of these elements independently with respect to each other.

I do not wish to limit myself to any of the specific constructions or modes of operation described above in this specification for purposes of giving examples or illustrations of employment of the invention, for it will be obvious that wide departure from the above may be made without 2,225,108 also tends to centralize the weight and still perments thereto, a roller extending crosswise of the two rake elements and immediately forward of the shorter teeth, a pair of arms pivotally connected at one end of each with the ferrule on the handle and having their outer ends provided with bearing means for the roller.

2. In a combination garden implement, the combination of a longitudinal handle member, an earth working element comprising a coarse rake of relatively long and widely spaced prongs, a second earth working element comprising a rake having reversely turned curved teeth, a roller extending crosswise of the two rake elements and immediately forward of the curved teeth, and means pivotally connecting said roller with the handle member, whereby the roller may be swung from a position forward of the teeth to a position adjacent the handle member.

EDWARD PRICE GLASCOCK. 

